Key-cutting machine



Sept. 16, 1930. -B. s. WILLIAMS KEY CUTTING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. 5. 5 Mum/v.5

A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 16, 1930.

B. s. WILLIAMS KEY CUTTING momma F iled July 3, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 II" .lllllll'll'llll'nlll'l u INVENTOR. 5, 5. lVlLL/mvs.

A TTORNE Y.

B. s. WILLIAMS 1,775,921

Sept. 16,1930.

KEY QUTTING IACHINB Filed July '3, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3/ INVENTOR.

4 5 '5 mum/v5 Z BY ATTORNEY.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 B. s. WILLIAMS KEY puwwxne MACHINE Filed July 3, 1928 Spt. 16, 1930.

5. 5. mum/vs.

% 9- @414 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES BENJAMIN S. WILLIAMS, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE KEY-CUTTING MACHINE Application filed July 3,

The present apparatus is in the nature of improvements in key cutting machines of that type designed for duplication and comprehends additions the nature of which permit added operations heretofore unknown in the art.

Keys are recorded by numbers and letters, the numbers referring to the depth of the different cuts in the keys which co-act'with pin tumblers and the letters refer to the make and class of key.

WVith the foregoing in mind it will be ob 'vious to one skilled in the art that a chart can readily be prepared of such a character as to indicate the nature of the cuts forming the working face of each key. The present assembly has takenadvantage of this condition and has adapted mechanism to control the work holder of a key cutting machine, which mechanism embodies drum dials with pointers whereby the control mechanism may be adjusted as desired to cause predetermined cuts and consequently the formation of any desired key. 7

More specifically, this apparatus comprehends a key cutting machine of that type having a hinged longitudinally movable work holder, and provides for the longitudinal movement of the work holder and also the lateral movement on its hinges under mechanism including drum dials, the movement of which control the parts.

Other features are present such as the adjustment of parts to compensate for wear, the arrangement of the elements to avoid interference with the normal operation or duplication of the'machine, and the like.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end view;

Fig. 4 is a section showing the rear dial and co-acting parts;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the rear dial and its mounting;

Fig. 6 is a top plan of the front dial; and

Fig. 7 is a spread plan of the rear dial showing the cam.

1928. Serial No. 290,181.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, sliplwing the mounting of the work standar 9.

The present machine includes the base 1, vertical standards 2 carrying the bearing 3 through which the shaft 4 extends. The shaft 4 is provided with fixed pulley 5 at one ex tremity and cutter 6 at the opposite extremity. The power to the pulley 5 may be supplied from any suitable source. The cutter and drive mechanism is conventional and detailed reference to the parts is not made.

The work holder includes a lower supporting rod or tube 7 arranged to slide in bearings 8 and being sufficiently free in the bearings to permit partial turning motion. The standard 9 ishinged to rod 7 by provision of a tube 9' which partially closes the rod 7 and terminates in the collar 9". The collar 9 is fixed to the rod by a coil spring, one extremity of which is fixed to the rod and the other extremity of which is fixed to the collar. By this arrangement the standard 9 is free to swing on the supporting rod 7 at all times and the spring normally retains the same in the vertical or working position. The upper extremity of the standard 9 sup ports a cross-plate 10.

The extremities of the plate 10 carry the key holders 11 and 12. the former during 1.

the normal operation of the machine holding the blank 14 to be formed and the latter holding the key 15 to be duplicated. The usual guide 16 is employed to cause the lateral movement of the work holder as is customary in the art. A coiled spring 17 normally causes the engagement of the work and the cutter. The spring 17 may be adjusted to vary the tension, and action of the cutter.

In connection with the control for the longitudinal movement of the work holder, attention is directed primarily to Figure 1 in which a rack 18 is shown fixed to the supporting rod 7 carrying the work holders. This rack extends longitudinally of the rod 7 and is designed to mesh with the pinion 19 fixed to shaft 20, supported in suitable bearing 21 and actuated by means of the knob 22. A drum 23 is likewise fixed to the shaft 20 and is provided circumferentially with the names of the various standard keys and indices of the key structure, as will more clearly hereinafter appear and as is clearly illustrated Y in ig. 6.

; guide A pointer 24 is mounted to slide on the dial. 7 r 1 By turning the handle 22 the pinion 1'9 will cause the longitudinal movement of the V proper spacing of the cuts.-

Work-holder and this movement is gauged by the data arranged on thedial. The pointer 24 is adjusted on its supports to register with the name of the key to be out and the work holder is then turned to causethe registration of the stops on the dial with the pointer which automatically positions the parts for The spacing of the parts being thus accomplished, the depth of the desired cuts is provided for by the 'follo-wii'ig' assembly A ,stud'BO isthr'eaded into the frame and upon this stud is mountedthe drum 31 formed with central hub portion. 32. An'annular groove 33 is formed on the inner face of-the drum 31 andin this groove 38 seats one end of the coiled spring 3% The opposite end of the springengages the adjacentface of the i j frame andprovi'des'the necessary frictional screws37. A detail plan of this dial- 36 showing the arrangement of the data will'beseen in Figure 7] Thisfigure also illustrates the provision of'the'annular cam 38 at the peripheral inner face of the, drum which ca-m engage's'the sliding pin 40 (see Fig. 4) This pin 4:0 is a a g dtdengage the key holder at the part 12 and cause a lateral movement 7 of same according to the pitch of the cam face. A pointer 41 slides in the guide'way 42 and facilitates the reading and operation of tlieparts.

' From the foregoing it' will'be seen that the assembly hasjprovid'ed a machine for cutting keys either by duplication or co'de'numb'ers letters. The code numbers and letters beprovided on dials so fixed that their vac- 7 mason will result in 'the accurate gauging of the cuttingoperations, both as to depth :and'spacing, in the making of a key-from ;code-;numbiers: and letters,-I h aye a series of charts divided into" groups each group being indicated by serial letters and numbers, each depth regulated by the'number of this particular pin tumbler, which vary in the differe'nt makes of locks and codes; Bybeingprdvided with'these/codes; this machine can be set to cut-a key that will operate ajlock: s'et with a specific number.

rods 26to facilitate the use of the drum 7 What I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a key cutting machine, a cutting element, a swinging work holder, means for moving said work holder longitudinally,

means for moving said Work holder transengaging said cam and said work holder and r a dial carried by said'cam,

, 2. The substance of claim 1 characterized in that themovable" element engaging the cam and work holder is in the nature of a slide.' v V substance of claim 1 characterized in that the movable element engaging the cam and work holder is a slide positioned versely including acam a movable element beneath a pointer, the latter operating in connectionvwith a dial fixed to said cam:

:4. In alkey cutting machine, a cutting element, a longitudinally movable hinged work holder, means for normally retainingsaid 7 ,work holder in operating positiommanually actuated means for moving said work-holder longitudinally, a dial carried by said: actuat-' 'ing means, anindicator fer said dial, means for controlling the movement of said "work holder on its hinges, a dial carried by the last mentioned controlling means, an indicator for i use inconnection with said dial, and means foradmsting said dial. I 5. In a key cutting'machine including a frame, aicuttingelement, a hinged work holder, means for moving said workv holder longitudinally comprising a rack, apinion meshingwith said rack: keyed to a rotatable shaft, a drum dial fixed tosaid shaft, parallelf' guide rods" arranged above and. transversely of said drum dial, an indicator slid-' ably mounted on said guiderods'andi'co-acting withsaid drum dial, and means for regulating the movement of said work holder on itshinge's. 1

6., The substance of claim 5 characterized in that the means for regulating the move mentof said :work holder on its hinges ineludes a cam,- and a connecting element between said cam and. :work. holder.

Inc

' 7 Thesubstance of claim 5 characterized in that the meansfor regulating themovement of said work holder on its hinges ineludes an adjustable cam, a dialfor saidj'c'am,"

and an indicator forsaid dial.

8. In a key-rcutting machine includin ga 7 frame; a cutting" element, a hinged v work holder, means for moving said work holder longitudinally comprising ai -rack, a pinion meshing with said raokkeyed'to a rotatable shaft, a drum dial'fi'xed to said jsh-aft,'paral- Iel guide rods" arranged above and transversely of said drum diahj an indicator slidably mounted'on' said guide rods andco-act ing with-said drum dial, and means for regulating the movement of said'work holder on its hinges, including a stud threaded into said frame, a drum mounted onsaid'stnd having an irregular surface, a dial carried by said drum, an indicator for said dial, and means for adjusting said dial.

9. The substance of claim 8 characterized in that the indicator for the last mentioned dial is mounted on the frame and is adjustable with relation to the dial.

10. In a key cutting machine, including a frame, a cutting element, a hinged longitudinally sliding work holder, and means for controlling the movement of said work holder 011 its hinges including an adjustable stud extending into said frame, a cam rotatably mounted on said stud, and spring means for retaining said cam in fixed position.

11. The substance of claim 10 characterized in that the cam which is adj ustably mounted on the stud screwed into the frame is pro- Vided with a peripheral drum dial for use in conjunction with an indicator carried by the frame.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BENJAMIN S. WILLIAMS. 

